


Every Night

by rabbitknight



Series: LVU [1]
Category: D.Gray-man
Genre: Alternate Universe - Bar/Pub, Alternate Universe - Modern Setting, Alternate Universe - Modern: No Powers, Bartender Kanda Yuu, Bartenders, Boyfriends, Established Relationship, Jealousy, M/M, Secret Relationship
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-11-25
Updated: 2020-11-25
Packaged: 2021-03-10 07:34:56
Rating: Mature
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 3,405
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/27709823
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/rabbitknight/pseuds/rabbitknight
Relationships: Kanda Yuu & Lavi & Lenalee Lee & Allen Walker, Kanda Yuu/Lavi
Series: LVU [1]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/2026673
Kudos: 6





	Every Night

Rubbing the bar towel against the rim of the glass, Kanda’s jaw tightened as he worked. He was a well oiled machine, cleaning glasses in a lull as they restocked and tidied their stations, but he was almost cracking the glass in his grip. He wasn’t watching his work, his pale eyes out scouring the dance floor, and his co-workers knew exactly when he found what he was looking for. The glass he slammed on the bar made sure of that.

“Do you want to-” “No.” Kanda interrupted him without a glance and Allen frowned behind his back. The pale-haired man screwed up his nose at his co-worker before he set a bottle down and turned to face him properly.

“You could just-” “No.” Kanda cut him off again and Allen puffed out his cheeks, continuing. “But you’re-” “ _ No _ , now shut up.”

“Then stop cutting me off!” Allen hissed, scowling, and this time Kanda turned to glare at him, throwing down his towel.

“I’m not going.” Kanda spat sourly, and Allen didn’t let him go despite his stormy expression.

“He does this  _ every _ weekend!” Allen complained, scowl still firm. “And  _ you _ do  _ this _ every weekend! You and your bad mood dry up our tips! Just clock out, and I’ll cover you tonight.”

“I’m not going to fall for it.” Kanda insisted sourly, and he pushed at Allen’s shoulder. “That bastard will do as he pleases anyways.” Kanda wanted to brush past him and continue cleaning, seeing Lenalee working at the other end, but Allen wasn’t budging. “Get out of my way, pipsqueak.”

“Bite me.” Allen grunted, and he narrowed his eyes. “You’re always like this, and it ruins our night, so just stop being an a- ahh, hi! What can I get you?” Like that, Allen’s customer service smile was on when he caught a glimpse of customers over Kanda’s shoulder, and he breezed by to serve a gaggle of giggling women. Kanda glared after him, disdainful, but his eyes gravitated back to the dance floor and his tension returned little by little.

He was doing it again, alright.

Lavi’s tall frame was easy to spot amidst the crowd of other patrons, head tossing and body swaying, but it was impossible to trace whose hands were whose. Spiky hair loose and slightly damp from his time on the dancefloor, Lavi was a heady sight even glimpsed here and there through the throng of bodies.

Clothing clung to the redhead’s shoulders, his waist, and he moved in fluid, hungry ways that only the throb of the speaker could inspire. It was more than a little distracting, and Kanda struggled to look away, but he wasn’t the only one. Kanda could see people in the building beginning to take notice of that as well. Heads began to turn gradually as the redhead got comfortable and made himself at home on the dancefloor, and Lavi joined new crowds as they broke and formed around him.

Watching him dance, his large familiar hands cradling someone else’s hips, made Kanda’s blood boil in the worst way. He knew that the redhead was overly friendly and too familiar, but he was almost antagonistic in his weekend plans. He came, danced, drank, and Lavi was always waiting there at the end of the night for him to get off the clock.

Turning his attention away, struggling to keep his cool, Kanda realized that they had the beginnings of a small crowd gathering at the bar and he poured himself into his orders. Allen was all charisma, working the crowd that came his way to keep them waiting patiently, but there was no way for one bartender to handle them all. Kanda was determined to work through the night and make the redhead wait, despite the distraction and petty tactics, and the dark-haired man doubled down on attending to their customers.

He would chew the redhead out later tonight when they left -when  _ he _ left and that pain in the ass followed him home- and he would grimace and bear it until then.

With another glance, jaw tightening, Kanda looked away stubbornly from the dance floor.

* * *

Truthfully, Lavi knew exactly what he was doing and he took great care and pride in it all. Kanda should have known that Lavi would be here whenever he was working, drawn to the chance to wind him up, but it ran deeper and Lavi saw his real target again as he swayed.

The women that had approached the bar were crowding next to where Kanda was working, chatting amongst themselves and being indiscrete about their glances. Lavi could see them electing a spokeswoman from over the shoulder of another man, his eye fixed on his lover even as he pulled his dance partner into his intimate space, and Lavi’s lips curled into a knowing smirk as he watched their plan unfold.

The fun was about to begin.

As her chorus of supportive friends wandered away with their drinks, she stayed behind and she leaned on the bar counter obviously. It made Lavi grimace, despite the amusement, but he couldn’t look away. Through his lashes and half-lidded stare, Lavi judged her to be a lame threat and an annoyance, but Lavi held his breath regardless. Hands glided along his thighs as he fixated on the altercation, but Lavi couldn’t care less.

Kanda’s lips broke formation, the grim line shifting into a scowl as he responded to whatever the woman had opened with, and Lavi celebrated a silent victory. Lavi knew the other man’s lips well enough to know what a question looked like. The redhead had almost memorized the deep troughs of frustration that appeared between Kanda’s eyebrows when someone said something that he wanted to roll his eyes at, and the sight encouraged his dancing back to its usual enthusiasm. 

Kanda shook his head at her, hands busy and his eyes all business, and when she slumped, Lavi knew he had won. It was a special thrill that raced through him when Kanda glanced up to look for him in the wake of his discouraged suitor. Grinning, Lavi clung to his handsy dance partner until he saw Kanda’s lips twitch disdainfully, and the bartender turned his back on the dance floor.

Sliding away from his anonymous partner was a chore, Lavi no longer interested in the dancer now that Kanda’s attention had shifted, but he was firm with him and he happily made himself comfortable in a new crowd of dancers. Lavi knew that Kanda got plenty of attention during his shifts, saw the women and men trying to shoot their shot with the curt dark-haired man every night he was there, and Lavi was more than happy to take up all of Kanda’s focus. The redhead had heard one too many stories from Kanda about patrons holding a conversation at the bar and having to grit his teeth through their small-talk, and Lavi was never one to leave well enough alone.

Lavi was a watchful eye on the bar as the night went on and on, happy to play distraction to his lover as Kanda slogged through his shift with frustrated determination, and he didn’t mind staying up to see him through his shift. He would rather be here to play with Kanda’s temper than at home on the couch waiting for him to come back with his shoulders locked up from agitation. Besides, how often would he get the chance to dance back and forth in front of the dark-haired man when he couldn’t come over and grab him?

* * *

Lavi could only play hard to get for so long before his own thirst brought him so much closer, and Lavi stepped off the dance floor flushed from exertion. The redhead made a quick exit from the arms of someone who was eager to share more than a dance with him now, and he sauntered up to the bar with his grin growing by the minute. Kanda wasn’t facing him for now, preoccupied with something below the bar counter, and Lavi took clear advantage of it as he sidled up to the dark-haired man while he wasn’t looking.

“Can I get a Long Island Iced Tea?” Lavi hummed, happy to rest one elbow on the counter as he spoke and as Kanda went still. Lavi knew exactly how Kanda would go on about the needless ingredients in cocktails the bar served, happy to order one when he came to visit him, but Lavi wasn’t prepared for him to turn and fix him with a scowl. He kept that smile in place, even as Kanda shifted forward to mix the drink for him, and they lowered their tone immediately.

“You’re a lunatic.” Kanda grunted, eyes on Lavi as his hands deftly went through the mixology.

“Yeah, but I’m  _ your _ lunatic.” Lavi countered delightedly, and he saw Kanda’s eyes dart sideways as the endearing tease was well received. His scowl did not falter, but Lavi knew Kanda well enough by now to read the subtle cues in his expression. He changed the conversation, and he just shifted to take up the space that the woman from before had vacated, and Lavi knew he would be much better received. “You’ve been busy over here. Seems like everyone keeps leaving the dance floor to get a drink from you three.”

“I’m surprised you noticed. You’ve been busy out there.” Kanda’s voice was always quite cool, emotions kept below the surface, but Lavi knew that tone anywhere. Kanda was scooping ice and pouring spirits, and Lavi set one hand flat on the counter to try and draw his attention more seriously.

“Yuu, you could always come join me when your shift is over.” Lavi told him in a hushed tone, shoulders slumping as he let his teasing demeanor fade. “I’m just killing time and waiting for you anyways… this way, I’m not stuck on the couch gathering dust.” He would have continued and reassured him more, but there was a hand on his shoulder and Lavi stood up to his full height at the prompting to tell the other man off. Lavi didn’t recognize the face, but the drawling voice and the request for another dance was ill timed, and Lavi shut the other man down without delay.

When Lavi turned back to face his lover, ready to soothe him as best he could, Lavi was surprised to see a glimmer of amusement in Kanda’s eye as he slid the finished drink across the wood and wiped his hands. Kanda looked  _ very _ satisfied with himself and he just leaned back on one leg as he met Lavi’s eyes and caught him off guard. The bartender had no issue with reaching up to grab him by the chin, keeping him right where he needed to be as he pushed himself forward, and Kanda stole a kiss from him right then and there before he used his grip to give Lavi the slightest push backwards.

Gaping, the redhead recovered his balance immediately and he blinked at the dark-haired man in surprise, but Kanda was already moving again and he waved a hand at him dismissively.

“You’re blocking the bar.” He grunted, not even bothering to look at the redhead now as Lavi’s grin returned even brighter than it had been before. “Get lost if you’re just going to be a pain.” Kanda didn’t come back to him, and Lavi saw Allen and Lenalee exchanging smiles as they stifled their laughter so the redhead ducked away and made the most gracious exit he could with his drink. He needed time on the sidelines to linger and finish the cocktail, musing over the obvious show of affection and the ironic harshness of his boyfriend’s tone, and Lavi returned the glass to the counter gleefully before he let his buzz return him to the dance floor.

Kanda only grew busier as the night went on, visited by seemingly every starry-eyed patron that stepped into the building, but Lavi was smug to find that his pale eyes were following him. He hadn’t doubted it before, that Kanda was paying keen attention to his gyrating and grinding amidst the other customers, but Lavi could hardly find a moment when he would look up and their eyes wouldn’t meet. Kanda was speaking his language silently from across the room, making Lavi’s stomach clench whenever their gazes met, and they weren’t the only ones to notice it.

Lenalee may have been more discreet in how she approached the long-haired bartender in regards to his boyfriend, she was by no means blind to how they were going about it tonight. She was restocking condiments and garnishes at his elbow when she caught sight of their next heated exchange, and she held back an outright laugh at the expression on Kanda’s face when she glanced up at him. Instead, she bit the inside of one cheek and she carefully replaced another container.

“He’s really enjoying himself tonight.” She commented idly, clearing around the faucets confidently. Kanda only hummed, his attention preoccupied and not put on guard by his female co-worker’s presence. Lenalee’s smile grew when she noticed just how distracted he was, directing her full attention to Kanda now, and she added. “Isn’t it a good thing that you’ll be off soon? You always take the early shifts, and now I see why…” His absentminded hum of acknowledgement as he mindlessly mixed a familiar cocktail widened her smile immediately. “It’s so you two can go home and make these bedroom eyes at each other all night long.”

Lenalee was thrilled to see Kanda’s hands stop immediately midway through shaking, fixing her with a look of disapproval that was much lighter than the one he would have given Allen, and she held her empty tray up to conceal her smile slightly. His eyebrows furrowed afterwards, as if he had processed her statement in the moments after it left her lips, and her shoulders shook as he clicked his tongue and quickly presented the drink.

“You sound like the pipsqueak,” He told her gruffly, sliding the glass to the uninterested customer with a nod, and Kanda rolled his eyes. “And I know  _ you’re _ not an idiot like him. I take the early shift to get out of here before they start bass-boosting the music, and that’s it.”

“Sensitive to a little noise?” Allen, who was never one to resist prodding his co-worker, leaned over around the beer taps and he raised his eyebrows at him. “You told  _ me _ that you hate the commute when I asked originally.” The pale-haired man exchanged a knowing look with Lenalee, seeing her eyebrows rise as Kanda deliberately ignored them both, and he went on without concern. Allen continued: “It’s definitely not because Lavi works early and you know he’s going to be dead asleep when you get home if you work the closing shift.”

Twisting his hand towel calmly, Kanda was quick to flick his wrist and catch Allen in the stomach with the end of it and a sharp ‘snap’. While the shorter man cringed and held his stomach, he laughed brightly and Lenalee had to smother her laughter with the back of her hand. 

“Shut your mouth before I shut it for you!” Kanda barked, pointing aggressively at him with his free hand. He exhaled deeply through his nose, scowling, but he held back from outright yelling at the other man as he shot Lenalee a suspicious look. They were both a nuisance when they wanted to be, now being one of those times, and Kanda just looked between them before he stepped back entirely. “Both of you, stay out of my way until Marie comes to relieve me. I don’t want to hear it, from  _ either _ of you.”

Scowling at both of them, picking up his tools to clean them for his replacement, Kanda turned his back on the club reluctantly and Allen and Lenalee gave each other a thumb’s up. Kanda was antsy to be done for the night, despite his bickering and his petty fighting with the others, and he was eager to clean up and step away from the counter for the night. He was done catering to their customers and putting up with their tipsy attempts at conversation, and he was ready to shrug out of his uniform shirt and go home.

He was  _ more _ than done watching Lavi have a good time just out of his reach.

Kanda spotted the redhead near the speakers when he returned his equipment to its proper places, fidgeting with the double jiggers and triple-checking all the bottle spouts at his station. While he was certain that Lenalee had prepared for the workers that were to come, the long-haired man had to check for himself as he desperately tried to wait out the last few songs that were counting down to the end of the hour. Lavi was still watching, peeking around other people and biting his lip like he wasn’t tempting enough, and Kanda was drumming his fingers against a glass of water until he saw the bald head of his replacement come through the door.

“Good evening, Kanda, Lenalee, Allen.” The bald man greeted each of them with a cordial nod of his head as he passed by, already taking off his coat and stepping into the staff area, and Kanda spun on his heel to follow him in without hesitation. Marie was content to tell him about his peaceful morning and ask his co-worker no questions, Kanda’s favourite kind of conversation, and the taller man easily traded his jacket for Kanda’s and extended it to him. “Have a pleasant night.”

“Hn.” Kanda pulled his arm into one sleeve before he had the thought to give Marie a proper response, more curt than usual in his haste, and Kanda chastised himself silently as he adjusted his coat collar. “You too. Everything is ready for you.” Looping his scarf around his neck haphazardly, mind already preoccupied on what he would do when he left, Kanda slipped back out of the staff area and his eyes scoured the room for his boyfriend. He was on the brink of frustration when he spotted him, already combing his hair out of his face and standing by the front doors, and Kanda was briefly grateful for the redhead’s sense of timing.

When he approached him, he could see the sweat still clinging faintly to his skin from the heat of the dance floor and Kanda gave his ribs a jab with his elbow as Lavi rested an arm around his shoulders.

“Hey Yuu, how was it?” Lavi asked, his grin stretched confidently across his face as he leaned against him. “You ready to get out of here?” He was still in just his shirt, even his headband seemingly abandoned for his outing tonight, and Kanda glanced at his empty other arm disapprovingly before he narrowed his eyes at him. Lavi’s eyebrow quirked. “What?”

“This is all you came in?” Kanda questioned critically, and Lavi only nodded before the dark-haired man yanked the scarf from around his neck and looped it around the redhead with a sigh. “You’re an idiot. It’s freezing out.”

“All the more reason for you to warm me up.” Lavi told him, smirking, and he groaned in mock pain as Kanda swatted at him for the comment. Lavi laughed without concern, even as Kanda glanced back and saw Lenalee smiling like a Cheshire cat, and the dark-haired man just set a hand on Lavi’s back and steered him towards the door. “I should come here every night. You’re a lot more fun to tease when you have to stare.”

“You’re lucky I don’t leave you out in the cold all night.” Kanda grunted, stepping out into the street with his boyfriend hanging off him. He looked both ways before he guided them across the street, and Kanda wasn’t shy about slipping his hand down into one of Lavi’s back pockets. “Wait until we get back and you can try and talk about teasing me again, rabbit.” He shot him a look that meant trouble as they made it to the opposite side of the road, one that made Lavi’s throat bob, but the redhead’s grin only widened and his eye crinkled at the corners.

“You promise?” He questioned cheekily, and Kanda rolled his eyes as Lavi laughed again and they carried on towards home.


End file.
